The SAAQ knowledge test is the mandatory theory exam for a Class 5 driver’s licence in Québec. It’s taken on a computer, at an SAAQ service centre, by appointment: 28 questions · 3 sections · 75% each, each section passed separately.
Key facts
| Where | An SAAQ service centre, on a computer, by appointment. |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13.50 per attempt, retakes included. Check the current fee when you book. |
| Languages | French or English, your choice; Arabic, Spanish or Mandarin on request. |
| Sections | Road rules · Road signs · Driving behaviours (the Class 5 specialization). |
| Passing score | 75% in each section, separately — no overall average. |
| After a fail | A wait of 28 days, then a retake of the failed section or sections only. |
Where and how it takes place
The test is taken at an SAAQ service centre, on a computer. You book an appointment with the SAAQ — online or through its phone service — then show up at the centre you chose on the day. Each attempt costs $13.50, retakes included. Check the current fee when you book.
You choose to take it in French or in English; the SAAQ may also offer it in Arabic, Spanish or Mandarin, on request. During the test, only the material the SAAQ provides — plus a dictionary without illustrations — is allowed: notes, phones and smartwatches stay outside.
What the test evaluates
Three areas, each in its own section:
- Road rules — Québec’s Highway Safety Code: right-of-way, parking, alcohol and drugs, sharing the road.
- Road signs — Québec’s signs, traffic lights and the markings on the road.
- Driving behaviours — the Class 5 specialization: what to do, concretely, in the situations a car driver meets — right-of-way first among them.
The format in detail — question counts and thresholds — is in the 75% rule, on the home page. The essential point: there is no overall average. The passing score applies to each section, separately. The questions themselves are multiple choice, and many rest on an illustration — an intersection, a sign, a driving situation. The question styles have their own page.
If you fail a section
A section below the threshold means a mandatory wait of 28 days before you can try again — but only the failed sections have to be retaken. The retake has its own rules, and is prepared differently from a first attempt: you book a new appointment, pay the fee again, and aim your preparation at what was missing.
How to prepare
The material comes from the SAAQ’s official study guides — the Driver’s Handbook and Driving a Passenger Vehicle, free in electronic form. But reading isn’t enough: the test is passed by practising under its real conditions. A practice test faithful to the real format, with a verdict per section, tells you exactly where you stand — and the mock test adds the timer and the conditions of test day. Knowing the styles of questions the test asks avoids surprises; and since road signs have their own section, the signs deserve to be studied on their own.
Two kinds of candidates take this test: driving-school students, after their months on a learner’s licence, and newcomers exchanging a foreign licence — often with years of driving behind them, but without Québec’s own rules. The Class 5 test and the test seen from a licence exchange each cover one of those paths.
More questions? Cost, languages, foreign licences: the FAQ answers them plainly.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the SAAQ knowledge test?
28 questions · 3 sections · 75% each. The detail of the three sections and the shape of the questions — multiple choice, often illustrated — are on the test-questions page.
How do I book the knowledge test?
By appointment, with the SAAQ — online or through its phone service. You then take the test at the service centre you chose. Booking the knowledge test, step by step has its own page.
Do I have to take the knowledge test to exchange a foreign licence?
In many cases, yes: a lot of newcomers have to pass the Class 5 knowledge test, even with years of driving behind them. The exact rules depend on the licence you hold — check your own situation with the SAAQ. The test seen from a licence exchange has its own page.
How much does each attempt cost?
$13.50, paid to the SAAQ for each attempt — retakes included. Check the current fee when you book.
Is the test offered in English?
Yes — you choose between French and English. The SAAQ may also offer the test in Arabic, Spanish or Mandarin, on request.
What is the passing score?
75% — in each section, separately. There is no overall average: one section below the threshold fails the attempt, however strong the other two. The passing score has its own page.
What does the road-signs section cover?
Québec’s signs, traffic lights and road markings — recognized by family, with what each demands behind the wheel. It is a section of its own, passed separately: Québec road signs, family by family deserve their own study.
Can I retake just one section?
Yes — that is in fact the rule: you only retake the section or sections you failed, after the mandatory wait of 28 days. The full process is explained on the retake page.
Go further
- The Class 5 test: where to start
- The passing score: why the average doesn’t count
- Failing the test: the 28-day rule
- Retaking the test, section by section
- What a good practice test must reproduce
- The mock test: practising under real conditions
- What the test questions look like
- Right-of-way: the rules the test loves
- Québec road signs, family by family
- Test yourself on the signs: the road-signs quiz
- Licence exchange: the knowledge test for newcomers
- Booking the knowledge test: the walkthrough
- The road test: what comes after the knowledge test
- The Permis 101 FAQ
Official sources
The facts on this page come from the official pages of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
Permis 101 reproduces the SAAQ test as it really is — a verdict per section, an explanation on every question — and tells you when you’re ready to book.
Free to start · $19.99 CAD once · No subscription
Permis 101 is an independent app, not affiliated with the SAAQ. For official information and to book your test, go to the SAAQ.